Can a Heat Pump in My House Handle the Winter?

December 27th, 2021
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Heat pumps are becoming an increasingly popular option for home comfort, with more people each year discovering the convenience and energy-saving potential of these systems. Heat pumps work similarly to air conditioners: they circulate refrigerant to absorb heat from one place and release it in another. An air conditioner can only remove heat indoors and release it outdoors, while a heat pump can do that plus change the direction of refrigerant circulation so that it moves heat from outdoors to indoors. It’s a great heating-and-cooling combination in a single installation.

If you read that, you may have had doubts spring up in your mind; or you might have already heard that heat pumps can struggle in winter. We understand that thinking, because the idea of a heating system that draws its heat source from outdoors during the winter doesn’t make much sense.

Yet, heat pumps are popular, so many people must find them worthwhile installations. Can a heat pump in Fairfax, VA, help your house through our local winters?

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Important Thermostat Tips for Energy Savings and Better Heating

December 13th, 2021
advanced-thermostat-on-hot-day

Because the thermostat is a small and unobtrusive device, its importance in an HVAC system is often overlooked. This is why people frequently change the settings on their thermostats based on comfort whims. If it’s winter and they’re feeling too cold, they crank the thermostat up high. Then when the house gets too hot, they slam the setting down. 

This way of setting the thermostat is bad news: for the heating system, for indoor comfort, and for energy bills. We’re going to share some thermostat “best practices” in this post so you’ll know how to use your home’s thermostat to save money while enjoying quality heating.

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What to Do If Your Furnace Won’t Heat

November 15th, 2021
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You may not have turned your furnace on for the first time this winter, but you’re coming closer and closer to that moment. If you’ve already scheduled heating maintenance in Rockville, MD, your furnace will probably come on as it’s supposed to and provide warmth for your family.

But what if it doesn’t? We don’t just mean at the start of the winter, but at any point during the season. The furnace may not come on at all, or you may get room temperature air from the vents rather than the warmth you expect. 

If your first thought is to call us to see if your furnace needs repairs, you’re off to a good start. You never want to attempt to repair a furnace yourself, as it can be dangerous. But before you give us a call or send us a message (and we’re here for you 24/7!), you can go through several basic troubleshooting steps to see if there is a simple reason you aren’t getting warm.

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What’s That Odd Sound From My Furnace Mean?

November 1st, 2021
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As furnaces start to go to work in the fall weather, it’s a good time to remind our customers and customers-to-be about the warning signs that can indicate it’s time to call us for Annapolis, MD furnace repairs. There are several different categories of warnings that a furnace that not all is well, and in this post, we’ll look at one of the most common: odd noises.

If you’ve lived with your current furnace for at least a year, you already know the standard noises it makes as it runs. You can expect to hear a whoosh as the burners ignite, clicking noises from the ignition system, and the whir of the blower as it sends air through the furnace and into the ductwork. You might also hear an occasional rattling from the ducts, which is the sound of the temperature change causing the metal to expand. 

When other noises start to interrupt the usual ones, you may have a problem that requires professional repairs. We’ve listed a few common trouble noises below. When in doubt, always call the B&B team to handle diagnosing the issue and seeing what work we can do. Amateur repair attempts can be dangerous!

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How to Tell Your Water Heater Is Dying

October 18th, 2021
water-heater

You don’t want to be trapped with a failed water heater, because losing hot water in your house will throw off your day. The good news is that water heaters rarely fail without giving off warnings, and if you catch those warnings in time, you can call for water heater repairs in Fairfax, VA to see if the unit can be fixed.

For an older water heater (we’ll get into that more below), scheduling a replacement is often the better choice. But at least you’ll have the replacement done on your schedule rather than a failed water heater forcing you to do it on its schedule.

We’ve put together a list of ways to tell you may have a water heater heading for failure. Follow us below and we’ll help you see into the future of your water heater.

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Why Heating Maintenance Is One of the Best Services We Offer

October 4th, 2021
gas-furnace

Fall is the favorite time of year for many people. It’s one of our favorite times as well, and not just because of candy, pumpkin carving, turkey, and football. It’s the time of the year when we provide one of the best services to our customers: regular heating maintenance.

What, that didn’t sound exciting to you? Okay, it’s not as much of a blast as a really terrific horror movie marathon or mounds of turkey and stuffing, but we promise you this is a great service that will pay off in the season that follows. You know, that one called winter where it gets super cold and frozen water covers everything. Heating maintenance in fall means a much better, safer, more comfortable, and less expensive winter.

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Don’t Have a Generator? We Recommend One for the Coming Season!

September 20th, 2021
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This last month on the East Coast was a bit … damp. We’re dealing with stronger and stronger storms striking the coast, and this has created an increased risk for power outages and extended blackouts. Storms aren’t the only source of power losses to neighborhoods: harsh winters and summers both place strains on energy grids that can lead to unexpected blackouts. 

If you’re concerned about losing power to your house, then a generator installation in Bethesda, MD should go on the top of your list of home improvements to invest in. Whole-house generators are great options for homes, and our team of experts can help set up your home with the ideal backup generator to meet your needs. 

Need more convincing? Below are the best reasons to get a whole-house generator:

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Short-Cycling Explained: One of the Most Common AC Problems

September 6th, 2021
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Air conditioning systems are intricate devices, which means many different components can fail and create malfunctions. The good news is that modern AC design makes these systems durable and, with proper routine care for the system—such as professional maintenance done every spring—an air conditioner can make it through its service life of 10–15 years with minimal problems.

 We take care of many AC repairs in Annapolis, MD, so we’ve seen just about everything that might go wrong with a home cooling system. One of the most common is short cycling. In this post, we’ll look at short cycling to help you understand it and deal with it.

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Top 5 Reasons Your AC Isn’t Keeping Your Home Cool Enough

August 23rd, 2021
family-before-electric-fans

It’s not fun during the dog days of summer to discover your air conditioning system has fallen behind on its work. You can hear the AC running and the familiar sound of the compressor kicking on, yet something isn’t right. People in the house are complaining about the heat, some rooms are hotter than before, and you find yourself pushing the thermostat lower than usual.

First, don’t lower the thermostat to counter this problem. It may make the situation worse. If you suspect your AC isn’t cooling enough, you’ll probably need the assistance of an HVAC company in Frederick, MD to find out why. Second … well, second is the rest of this post: the top five reasons you may have an AC that can’t keep up with the late summer heat. 

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What to Look for in a New Air Conditioner

August 9th, 2021
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Our summers can get pretty hot. That is why many homeowners look to get the best possible central air conditioning installation in Rockville, MD. A modern, advanced air conditioner that is installed and checked regularly by a professional service like B&B Air Conditioning & Heating Service ensures cool and pleasant summers for many years to come.

In this blog, we look at several important factors that you should consider before buying a new air conditioner.

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